


A New Leaf?

by MycroftexMachina



Category: Men's Hockey RPF
Genre: 2019-2020 NHL Season, Gen, M/M, mentions of break up
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-21
Updated: 2019-11-21
Packaged: 2021-02-16 10:53:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,850
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21506704
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MycroftexMachina/pseuds/MycroftexMachina
Summary: Mitch doesn't quite know how they’re going to overcome this.
Relationships: Mitch Marner/Auston Matthews
Comments: 9
Kudos: 58





	A New Leaf?

**Author's Note:**

> I have been reluctant in picking this up again because this season has been a nightmare of epic proportions on and off the ice. Since I am unable to stray from canon, and I do not believe in sweeping unpleasant things under the rug, I hesitated in starting the next chapter of this story even as I plotted it during my swims. Then today happened, and Jasper started screaming in my head. This is a transitional piece. It leaves a lot of things unanswered. But I had to write it. To paraphrase Steve Dangle, ‘Pay for my therapy! Read it!’ and peer pressure me into beginning the next story.

Mitch is in his bed, his ankle elevated, a cup of hot chocolate on his bedside table and Agatha dozing on his chest when the news breaks. His phone starts buzzing with messages soon thereafter.

“It’s happened,” he whispers to nobody in particular. Nobody’s around after all. Humans, that is. The team’s in Glendale, Mitch’s parents are back home now that he’s more mobile and looks less miserable, and Chris has his own commitment.

“ _Tweet_?” Dandelion asks from the windowsill, from where she often keeps a benevolent eye on the land and its animals.

“Yes, sweetheart,” Mitch confirms with a sad smile.

“ _Tweet_!” Dandelion summons the others.

Agatha is startled awake and looks at her sister annoyed until she notices Mitch’s expression.

“ _Pip?_ ” she asks.

“Yep, it’s Babs,” Mitch nods caressing her left wing softly. He can hear Jasper, Star, and Bumblebee running up the stairs from a mile away, and in no time they’ve joined Agatha on Mitch’s chest.

“ _Tweet_!” Dandelion orders them off. “ _Tweet, tweet, tweet._ ”

“I am fine,” Mitch reassures her, but the guys follow her instructions and position themselves on what used to be Auston’s pillow. It still smells like him, and Mitch sleeps with his arms around it every night.

“ _Cheep_?” Jasper says, his eyes filled with tears.

“Yes, it’s official,” Mitch confirms once again. “Shanny sent out a tweet and he’s holding a press conference in a bit.”

“ _Cheep_ ,” Jasper nods, looking dejected.

“ _Beep_ ,” Star adds, sniffing loudly while also hugging his older brother. Bumblebee joins Agatha and tangles his tail to hers—a familiar gesture the twins use to support each other and always when they’re sleeping—while Dandelion jumps from the windowsill to Mitch’s bed and cuddles up with him.

Mitch is just thankful that Shanny, Dubie and Babs had the foresight to prepare the dragons for this.

After a nightmarish summer—pretty much spent ensuring the dragons had plenty of time to spend with Brownie, Naz and Jazzy, as well as the rest of the players traded—the season had started with a whimper and it had gone downhill from there.

Jasper had refused to meet any of the new players on the roster, because he did not want to get too attached. The other dragons had followed his lead, and Mitch and Auston had decided to indulge them.

Then, the whole disaster with Auston had happened, which, compounded with Alex Nylander leaving for Chicago, JT’s injury, and Mitch’s own injury, had contributed to make the little guys feel completely unmoored.

And now here they are, the six of them, with Mitch as sole caretaker because Willy and Zach are on an extended road trip, Auston hasn’t been around since late September, and half of the Leafs roster cannot be relied on to dragon-sit since they don’t know there are dragons to sit with.

Mitch’s phone buzzes again, and since it’s Babs’ number, Mitch actually bothers to read the message.

_Tell them I will come by when I am back_ , it says.

“ _Cheep_?” Jasper says hopeful.

“Yes, buddy,” Mitch confirms with a wan smile. “He’ll stop by as soon as he can.”

“ _Pip_ ,” Agatha chirps reassured. She hasn't been around Babs as long as Jasper or Star, but she loves him with the power of a thousand suns, unconditionally and unabashedly, like only a dragon mad about hockey can.

“ _Beep_ ,” Star comments.

“I know it’s not going to be the same,” Mitch acknowledges. “But, then, it hasn't been the same in a while,” he adds, feeling himself tear up.

_Jesus_ , he thinks, _Auston Matthews is a fucking ass._

“ _Tweet_ ,” Dandelion echoes Mitch’s sentiment perfectly, as unforgiving now as she has been since the news broke of Auston’s horrific behavior.

“ _Beep_ ,” Star objects.

“He made a big mistakes,” Mitch agrees.

“ _Beep_ ,” Star continues.

“I know he’s sorry,” Mitch nods serious.

“ _Beep_ ,” Star sniffles.

“I miss him, too, buddy,” Mitch confirms. “But he’s the one who packed up and went back to his condo.”

“ _Tweet_ , _tweet, tweet_ ,” Dandelion adds.

“And who doesn't want to talk to us unless it’s about hockey,” Mitch says.

“ _Peep_ ,” Bumblebee states peremptorily, which makes Mitch laughs.

“I agree with you he’s just being stupid,” Mitch concurs.

“ _Pip_ ,” Agatha reminds her brother, because they’ve talked about Auston being MIA several times.

“The fact that he’s ashamed and that he no longer thinks he’s the right person to take care of you guys …”

“… _Tweet_ ,” Dandelion interjects.

“…Or me,” Mitch smiles, “doesn't mean that he’s not a stupid ass who did a horrible thing which he should have told us about, and for which he needs to make amends until the end of time.”

“ _Cheep_ ,” Jasper jumps in. “ _Cheep, cheep, cheep, cheep, cheep._ ”

Mitch cannot contain a sob at that, because Jasper is right.

Now they’re without Auston, without Babs, without Brownie, without Naz, without Sparksy and Alex, without Patty and Ron, without Jake and Enzo, and life sucks so bad Mitch doesn't know how to deal with it.

“ _Cheep_ ,” Jasper says running up to Mitch and cuddling into his neck. He’s soon joined by Star and Dandelion, while Agatha and Bumblebee remain on Mitch’s chest, tails intertwined, giving him light pats on his chest.

“ _Pip_ ,” Agatha says, trying to be as reassuring as a seven month old dragon can be. It means a lot to Mitch.

“Thank you, Agatha,” he says.

The phone buzzes again, and it’s Dubie this time.

_I am going to talk to the rest of the guys, and then I am Skyping with you all_ , Dubie says.

Mitch grabs a tissue and blows his nose before acknowledging the message and relaying it to the guys, who perk up a bit at the idea.

Mitch knows they’re not mad at anyone—not at Kyle, or Brendan or even Babs. They’re not mad at any of the players, and Mitch is honest enough to recognize that most of them have not been playing up to their potential.

Mostly, the dragons are mad at themselves, because they think they’re not doing whatever it is that they’ve presumably been sent to do—like the fate of Leafs Nation is on the tiny shoulders of five mythical animals almost no one knows exist.

It breaks Mitch’s heart every day, and it sucks, and it makes him even madder at Auston, who decided to jump ship because he thought his actions made him unworthy.

_Fucking loser_ , Mitch thinks bitterly, before deciding he’s more important things to do right now than cursing his wayward boyfriend.

“Shanny is probably going to join him,” Mitch warns them, and Bumblebee in particular. The little dude has the biggest crush on Brendan Shanahan, and it’s heartwarming to see. Not to mention, Shanny gets really flustered about it, which is frankly hilarious. They can all do with some ‘hilarious’ on days like this.

“ _Peep_ ,” Bumblebee flaps his wings excitedly.

“ _Beep_?” Jasper asks.

“Willy and Zach sent a million text already,” Mitch confirms. “And if you retrieve your phone I am sure they texted you, too. JT is most likely going to organize something for tonight as well, so you guys can catch up with the players you deign to interact with.”

“ _Cheep_ ,” Jasper snorts some smoke and then flies away, presumably in search of the dragons’ phone.

“ _Beep_ ,” Star demands.

“We’ll call Dyls and Davo as soon as I can coordinate things with them,” Mitch promises.

In Auston’s absence, all the ‘uncles’ have stepped in big times, with Alex Nylander actually flying in to see the dragons, Brinksy sending care packages and gifts from Ralph, and Dylan and Davo calling the guys every night.

It’s not the same, however. Not just for the dragons, but for Mitch.

Auston’s is the love of Mitch’s life, and he’s the dragons’ dad. The fact that he’s acting like an immature idiot with more money than brain hasn't changed that.

“ _Beep_ ,” Star exhales, seemingly reassured by the promise of talking with Willy and Zach, Davo and Dylan, the guys and the big bosses, and looking forward to seeing Babs soon. Then, in a move that has become more frequent since Auston left and Mitch was injured, he crawls up to Mitch’s head and goes to sleep there.

Mitch is going to kill Auston as soon as he comes back.

“ _Tweet_ ,” Dandelion nods approvingly in seeing her little brother resting and turns towards Bumblebee and Agatha, who have clearly decided a nap is a good idea and are asleep on Mitch’s chest curled around each other.

“ _Tweet_ ,” she sighs, licking Mitch’s cheek affectionately.

Jasper comes back with the phone and Dandelion joins him so the two of them can decipher the messages the guys have been sending them.

It’s mostly emojis, Mitch notices, because reading is still a work in progress, but there are short messages Mitch knows Jasper, Star and Dandelion can read. Bumblebee and Agatha have not started on that yet.

Mitch’s phone buzzes again. It’s Auston.

_How R the guys?_

Mitch texts a quick reply. Auston is an ass, and an idiot, and a lot of other things, but that doesn't mean Mitch has to be one, also.

_They knew it was coming_. _They’re grieving, but they’re coping._

_U?_ Auston texts back.

_Same_ , Mitch replies honestly.

_Im sorry_ , Auston says.

Mitch knows. Auston has apologized for so many things so many times in the past two months. It’s a shame that it’s not getting them anywhere.

_Me too_ , Mitch texts back, before tossing the phone as far away as he can, lest he begs, for the umpteenth times, for Auston to come back home where he belongs.

“ _Cheep_?” Jasper asks Mitch to look at the phone, where Babs has sent them a brief message—too long for Jasper’s reading skills.

Mitch picks it up, and smiles even as his eyes fill once again with tears.

“ _Cheep_ ,” Jasper demands, wanting to know what Babs has to say.

Mitch clears his throat and reads:

_"_ Guys, everything is going to be fine. Continue to take care of each other and to look after the guys like we discussed. I have faith in you all, and I know you can do this as well as if not better than I ever did. Jasper, give Sheldon a hand, will you? Don’t pretend like you don’t want to. And yes, we can continue our coaching sessions even if I might be on another team sometimes soon. Star, don’t worry, I have not forgotten our plans for bye week: we’re going to get baking lessons from my wife. Hopefully the kitchen will survives us. Dandelion, I will have plenty of time to help you in the greenhouse—at least until I get another job, so we can spend lots of time together. Agatha, Bumblebee, we’re still going to the Christmas market together, just the three of us. This is not the end, guys. It’s just a new beginning. You’re part of my life and I am part of yours, now and always. We are a family, and I will always be grateful that you allowed me in your lives and your heart. I love you all. Babs.”


End file.
